Moisture traps in tobacco pipes and cigarette holders



Nov. 10, 1959 D. M. CLEMENT MOISTURE TRAPS IN TOBACCO PIPES'ANDCIGARETTE HOLDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1955 mm Nm ww wWumummml un, 95.3211,

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United States Patent O MOISTURE TRAPS IN TOBACCO PIPES AND CIGARETTEHOLDERS David Michael Clement, Seaford, England, assigner to ColinByford Limited Application May 24, 1955, Serial No. 510,810

Claims priority, application Great Britain July 20, 1954 1 Claim. (Cl.1351-201) The present invention concerns tobacco pipes and cigaretteholders.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide atobacco-smokers appliance, such as a tobacco pipe or cigarette holder,with improved means for collecting and retaining liquid entering orcondensed in the appliance and for releasing the liquid from time t`'"time:

In a tobacco pipe or cigarette holder, according to the presentinvention, the smoke passage between the bowl or cigarette socket andthe mouthpiece outlet communicates with one or more spaces so arrangedthat liquid entering, or condensed in, the smoke passage will enter thespace or spaces and displace air from them, the Walls of the space orspaces being so close together that the liquid is retained in the spaceor spaces by capillary attraction and will not return to the smokepassage under the action of gravity or of any slight shocks to which thepipe or holder may be subjected while being smoked.

The space or spaces thus form a trap for liquid products of combustionand for saliva. Preferably the walls of the space or spaces can beseparated to release liquid when desired. Alternatively, liquid may bereleased from one or more spaces by shaking or tapping the pipe orholder sharply.

Preferably, the volume of the space or spaces is at least sufficient toaccommodate the quantity of liquid which enters, or is condensed in thesmoke passage in the course of smoking of a complete lling of the bowlor of a complete cigarette.

In constructions which are preferred by reason of their simplicity andconsequent cheapness, the space or spaces are annular and concentricwith the smoke passage. However, other constructions are possible.

The accompanying drawings show examples of various constructionsaccording to the present invention. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one tobacco pipe;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on a larger scale of the central partof the stem of the pipe;

Fig. 3 is a similar section of an alternative construction, and;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the front part of a cigaretteholder.

In the pipe shown in Figs. 1 and 2 there is a stem root 2 extending fromand integral with the bowl 4. A connector 6 is interposed between thestem root and the mouthpiece 8. At its front end the connector has athreaded spigot 10 which screws into a threaded socket in the stem root2. At its rear end the connector has a socket to receive a spigot 12 onthe mouthpiece. In the front part of the mouthpiece there is a largebore 14, the wall of which forms the outer Wall of an annular space 16.The inner wall of the space 16 is formed by a tube 13 extendingrearwardly from the connector 6. This tube 18 also forms the outer wallof an intermediate annular space 20. The inner wall ice of thisintermediate space 20 is formed by an intermediate tube 22 extendingforwardly from the rear end of the large bore 14. This tube in turn alsoforms the outer Wall of an inner annular space 24. The inner wall ofthis inner space 24 is formed by an inner tube 26 extending rearwardlyfrom the connector 6. The interior 28 of the inner tube 26 forms a partof the smoke passage, the remainder of which is formed by a bore 30 inthe stem root, a bore 32 in the connector and a bore 34 in the rear partof the mouthpiece.

There are holes 36 in the top and bottom of the outer tube 18, holes 38in the top and bottom of the intermediate tube 22, and holes 40 in thetop and bottom of the inner tube 26. Moreover, the outer tube 18 stopsshort of the rear end of the large bore 14 in the mouthpiece. Thus, bothends of each of the annular spaces are in communication at top andbottom with the smoke passage.

The sizes of the three annular spaces are calculated to enable them toretain liquid with a surface tension of about 4S dynes per centimetreunder normal temperature conditions, this being a gure appropriate towater with other `substances such as may be present under smokingconditions. The radial distance between the walls of the outer space 16is 0.015, the radial distance between the walls of the intermediateannular space 20 is 0.017", and the radial distance between the Walls ofthe inner annular space 24 is 0.020". The lengths of the outer andintermediate annular spaces need be no more than the greatest length ofliquid column which can be retained in the spaces by capillaryattraction. The inner space is somewhat longer to ensure that it neverbecomes filled, and hence that the escape of air from the spaces is notcut off. In the example the outer and intermediate spaces are 0.875 longand the inner space is 0.950 long.

The greatest length of liquid column which an. annular space will retainincreases if the radial distance between the walls is decreased and viceVersa. Thus the length and radial distance may be varied `if desired butthe radial distance should not exceed 0.025 inch.

When the pipe is used, the connector 6 and the inner tube 26,particularly if they are of metal and so are very good conductors, actas condensers for vapor in the smoke. Droplets of water, nicotine andother substances are formed and run along the smoke passage until theyreach an entrance to the inner annular space. They are drawn into thisspace and pass from it through the intermediate annular space into theouter annular space which by reason of its lesser radial width exerts astronger capillary attraction. Liquid accumulates in the outer space,gradually rising while the air -is displaced from its upper end.Thereafter, liquid also accumulates in turn in the intermediate spaceand in the inner space. The volume of the three spaces is sufficient toenable the pipe to be emptied of liquid only once a day, in the courseof normal smoking.

When the liquid is to be released, the mouthpiece is pulled away fromthe connector. By this means, the outer and inner tubes 18 and 26 aredrawn axially away from the bore 14 and the intermediate tube 22, andthus the capillary force attracting the liquid is broken down and theliquid runs out or can be dislodged by a gentle shake. At the same time,all those surfaces on which tar tends to accumulate are exposed forcleanlng.

Since the connector 6 is preferably metal, it is possible to make thewall of the socket which receives the mouthpiece much thinner than thewall of the socket in the stem root. This, in turn, means that thediameter of the large bore in the mouthpiece and of the tubes can begreater than would be possible if the mouthpiece were directly insertedinto a socket into the stem root.

If a smaller capacity for liquid is sucient, for example, to enable thepipe to be emptied not more than after smoking of each filling of thebowl, then the construction shown in Fig. 3 may be adopted. In thisconstruction the entire stem has a slightly smaller external diameter,and there are only two tubes, 18 and 22. The construction is otherwisethe same as shown in Fig. 2. The distances between the walls of theinner and outer annular spaces to be employed are preferably 0.017" and0.015", but other sizes could be employed, in which case the length maybe varied in order to obtain a capillary collector in which the columnof liquid to ll this collector is held firmly by capillary attraction.

In the cigarette-holder shown in Fig. 4, there is only a single annularspace since only a smaller liquid capacity is required. I'his space 42lies between a bore in a front part 44 of the holder and a tube 46 whichextends forwardly of a mouthpiece 48, having a spigot 50 inserted in asocket in a rear end of the front part 44. There are holes 52 in thetube 46. The radial width of the annular space is 0.015" and its lengths 0.6".

I claim:

A tobacco appliance comprising a stem having a smoke passageway formedtherein, at least one tube concentric with a portion of said stem andspaced therefrom providing a chamber between the wall of the stem andsaid tube, said chamber being not more than 0.025 inch wide, said tubehaving apertures therein adjacent one end of the chamber, the other endof the chamber having open communication with the smoke passagewaywhereby liquid -in the smoke passageway passes into the chamber and isretained therein by capillary action.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 531,982Swartz et al. Ian. 1, 1892 1,006,648 Gilbert Oct. 24, 1911 1,102,865Browne July 7, 1914 1,443,531 Friedman Jan. 30, 1923 1,477,029 BlomsterDec. 1l, 1923 1,669,045 Friedman May 8, 1928 2,297,937 Berardo Oct. 6,1942 2,592,957 Sansom Apr. 15, 1952 2,606,561 Doerr Aug. 12, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 16,184 Great Britain 1891

